News
22 October 2026 – Chiedu Oraka Addresses Racial Profiling on Damned
By Editorial Team - October 22, 2026
Summary
Hull rapper Chiedu Oraka releases single Damned from his upcoming EP Kwechiri due November 18, addressing racial profiling and honoring Christopher Alder.
Key Facts
- Hull rapper Chiedu Oraka releases single 'Damned' ahead of EP 'Kwechiri', due November 18.
- Video pays tribute to Christopher Alder, who died in police custody in Hull in 1998.
- Developed with producers Ben Foden and Oliver Rees, examining racial profiling and social memory.
- Entities: Chiedu Oraka, Ben Foden, Oliver Rees, Christopher Alder, Janet Alder, Hull
- Tags: chiedu-oraka, damned, kwechiri, uk-hip-hop, hull, christopher-alder, social-commentary
Hull rapper and spoken-word artist Chiedu Oraka has released "Damned", a poignant and hard-hitting single previewing his forthcoming EP Kwechiri, due November 18. Developed in collaboration with producers Ben Foden and Oliver Rees, the track eschews bombast in favor of a restrained, reflective instrumental that keeps Oraka’s urgent message in sharp focus.
Lyrically, "Damned" confronts the pervasive reality of racial profiling and institutional neglect. Its accompanying video pays tribute to Christopher Alder, who died in police custody in Hull in 1998 in a case later determined to be an unlawful killing. Oraka previously collaborated with Alder's sister Janet on the acclaimed documentary Black Kings Upon Hull.
Following earlier single "Cocoa Butter", "Damned" underscores Oraka's commitment to chronicling Northern working-class Black identity without resorting to borrowed commercial tropes. The direct delivery ensures the historical weight of his community's experiences cannot be ignored.
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